Cunningham's 2 goals lift FC Dallas past Red Bulls

Jeff Cunningham started in Cooper's place and scored two goals
within a two-minute span of the first half, leading FC Dallas to
a 2-1 win over the New York Red Bulls on Saturday night.

"I really wanted to give a good performance," Cunningham said.
"I felt I had to prove myself even after 12 years in the
league."

Cunningham, ranked fourth on the MLS career goals list with 107,
had his first multi-goal game of the season. Cooper, who missed
the game due to U.S. national team duty for the CONCACAF Gold
Cup, had started 47 consecutive games at forward.

Cooper's seven goals this year were more than twice as many as
the next-closest Dallas player.

Cunningham's first goal came in the 15th minute after he stole a
pass from Luke Sassano, dribbled past Nick Zimmerman and fired a
left-footed shot into the left corner of the net from the top of
the penalty area.

FC Dallas (4-7-5) extended its unbeaten streak to three games
while pushing the Red Bulls' winless streak to 10. New York
(2-13-4) last won May 8 when it beat San Jose 4-1, and it is
0-17-6 in its last 23 on the road.

In the 17th minute, Cunningham took advantage of a great pass
from midfielder Dave van den Bergh to chip in a shot from inside
the goalie's box. Van den Bergh crossed a volley from 20 yards
which Cunningham redirected into the net with the top of his
left foot.

"We've been working on that all week, we knew there was a
possibility to put into the left post," van den Bergh said.

Cunningham had a potential third goal disallowed in the 80th
minute when he was called offside after knocking in a missed
shot by Eric Avila.

"I was already celebrating," Cunningham said of his near hat
trick. "I thought why isn't anybody else celebrating, then I
realized they were all going the other way."

Cooper will miss at least one more game while with the national
team.

"I heard earlier in my career that I played with a chip on my
soldier and that was a bad thing," Cunningham said. "If you
don't play with a chip on your soldier you'll get pushed back."

New York's Juan Pablo Angel scored from inside the goalie's box
in the 43rd minute, his sixth goal of the season. Danleigh
Borman and Jorge Rojas assisted.

"We thought that with that goal we were back in," Angel said.
"Unfortunately we couldn't capitalize in the second half."

Angel also had a goal disallowed in the 49th minute when he was
called offside on his run.

Dallas' Ray Burse made a leaping two-handed save to stop a shot
by John Wolyniec in the 83rd minute.